Just a few years ago, most people would have thought betting on video games was strange. Millions of people watch professional gamers compete in crowded arenas and broadcast live online, and many of them like to bet on the results of the games. DOTA 2 and Counter-Strike are among the most bet on esports games. These games helped make competitive gaming a global business.
Why are these games so interesting? If you’ve ever seen DOTA’s tight comeback or Counter-Strike’s clutch round, you already know this. Fans love watching it because it is unpredictable and requires teamwork and individual skills. Because it is so exciting, betting has become a natural part of the experience.
A brief history of DOTA
In the early 2000s, Warcraft III featured a single-player map called Defense of the Ancients (DotA). Players had to command powerful heroes and destroy enemy bases with their team. This map attracted a lot of attention, especially in PC rooms in Asia and Europe.
Valve released DOTA 2 as a standalone game in 2013. It was the same core game, except for improved visuals, matchmaking, and pro tournament support. The game soon became one of the most popular online sports in the world.
The International, Valve’s annual championship game, is starting to change that. The prize pool has expanded into millions of dollars, attracting the best players from around the world. “As the shows got better and easier to watch on the Internet, fans began to treat tournament games like regular sporting events.
Betting sites realized the potential when they could offer structured leagues, team standings, player statistics and large-scale events all year long. DOTA 2 is one of the first esports that allows players to bet on match results, tournament winners, and even what happens in-game.
rise of counter strike
Counter-Strike has been competitive for much longer. It started out as a fan-made Half-Life mod in 1999, but has grown into its own. Terrorists and counter-terrorists in a simple tactical game.
Coffee shops and small tournaments were frequented by scores of players who favored Counter-Strike 1.6. This was followed by Counter-Strike: Source and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) in 2012, which catapulted the game to international fame.
CS:GO will be replaced by Valve’s Counter-Strike 2 starting in 2023. It features the tactical foundation the series is famous for, but features a more modern engine and better mechanics.
Bettors love Counter-Strike because the rules of the game are simple and easy to understand. Teams play a fixed number of rounds, each of which can dramatically change the course of the game. This is the kind of high-stakes bettors’ favorite action that allows one player to come out on top in seemingly impossible situations.
How betting on this game works
The most common type of bet is picking the team you think will win. For example, if Team A and Team B are playing a DOTA 2 match, an online bookmaker can offer odds for that match. If people think Team A is better, the payoff is probably smaller. But you can win more by gambling on the underdog.
Some of the more common betting methods include:
- Map Winner: The team that won a specific map.
- Correct Score: Predict the exact score (e.g. 2-0 or 2-1).
- Maps Played: If the series is above or below a certain amount.
Momentum can change very quickly in Counter-Strike, making it a very popular live betting game. If a team with an initially poor performance wins several rounds in a row, the odds actually change in real time.
Why is esports betting suddenly so popular?
You no longer have to pay for cable or watch the sportsbook. Sites like Twitch and YouTube allow people to watch major events for free, while betting sites allow people to place bets from their phones or computers.
A younger crowd is another thing to consider. Many fans played DOTA or Counter-Strike as kids, so they know more about the heroes, weapons, tactics, and maps than they do about the actual sport. They feel safer when seeing matches because they know people better.
It also helps that there is a lot of data available. Fans can watch:
- The team’s recent show,
- Head-to-head match,
- Player stats, map win rates, tournament results.
Looking at the statistics of a Counter-Strike game is very similar to looking at the statistics of a football or basketball game.